Summer Love
by thewriterfromRavenclaw
Summary: Rick and Popuri get into an argument over the return of Kai to Mineral Town. Popuri doesn't see a problem with her dating him. Rick does. KaixPopuri
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They are the property of Natsume.**

**This story was written a few years ago, so when I was around 11 or 12, I think. I didn't really date the story, all I know is that it's been in my desk drawer for years and I only now decided to upload this. I really like the bond between Popuri and her brother, Rick. I think it's very sweet, how Rick only wants the best for his sister. So here it is. This is a multi-chapter fic, by the way, with three chapters.**

* * *

><p><strong>Summer Love<strong>

_Kai x Popuri_

Chapter One

Popuri slammed the door to her bedroom, furious. "You can't keep him from me, Rick!" she yelled at her brother, even though he was on the other side of the door. "You can't! It's not fair!" She burst into tears, blinking her pink eyes insanely.

Her brother Rick opened the door, and held Popuri's hand. His gestures were sympathetic, but the expression on his face was one Popuri rarely saw from him – utmost anger. "Popuri…" Rick said quietly, stroking her shoulders. "Popuri, please understand…"

"No, Rick." Popuri said through gasps of air. "No, _you_ understand. There is nothing wrong with Kai!" She tried to pound her fist against her brother, but there was no strength left in her.

Rick's muscles tensed at the mention of his name. "Popuri," he snapped, "Kai is a slacker! He doesn't have a real job, he doesn't have a house, he can hardly support himself! What makes you think he can support anyone else?"

"Do you think I care?" she shouted at him. "I love him, Rick!"

"And do you think that makes such a big difference- that you'd be willing to…" he struggled to get the words out. "To marry him?" He was yelling at her now.

His sister wiped her eyes with her arm. Looking up at Rick, she spoke softly. "I didn't think… our… we were that serious."

Rick heaved a sigh. "Well, you never know. Kai might think so… he practically just got back from another town. He was away for three seasons. He's had a lot of time to think."

Popuri frowned. "He's been back for two weeks…" She paused. "Maybe… maybe he is that serious."

Rick grabbed her. "And if he is? What would you do if he proposed to you, sis?" He was shaking her now.

She looked up at him, her eyes were wide. "I would say yes," she said quietly.

Rick pounded his fist on the wall. "Damnit, sis!" he shouted as he pounded it again. "Why can't you see that Kai is no good for you? You'd be better off with someone like Cliff… or Trent! They would be so much better for you!"

"I'm not in love with Cliff or Trent!" Popuri shouted through more tears. "I love Kai!"

Rick looked down for a few seconds, hiding his face from her. When he looked up, is brown eyes were blazing with anger. His right hand was shaking madly. It shook for only a few seconds, though, because Rick then sent it towards Popuri, slapping her left cheek – hard.

She stumbled backward a little, bumping into her dresser, and falling to the ground. She looked up, and Rick could see the fear in her eyes. Never before had he hurt his little sister. She stayed there for only a second, and then got up and rushed past him.

Rick opened his mouth in protest, and was about to go after her, but didn't do or say anything. He knew where she was going.

* * *

><p><strong>And there you have it. To be continued! Feel free to leave a review, as well. I always appreciate feedback! As would my 12 year old self, I must add.<strong>


	2. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They are the property of Natsume.**

**And here's the continuation of the story! Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Summer Love<strong>

_Kai x Popuri_

Chapter Two

The nest thing Popuri knew, she was running – out the door, past the town square, to the beach. She ran to Kai's building, desperately banging on the door. It wasn't until she saw him heading out of his boat did she realize how dumb she was being. It was a Sunday.

"Popuri?" Kai said, surprised to see her. He grinned. "You just couldn't stay away from me, could you?" he joked, unaware of how sad Popuri was.

Popuri's eyes filled with tears, and she ran to Kai, embracing him in a hug. She may have said nothing, but Kai wasn't stupid, he got the message.

"What's wrong?" he demanded, pushing her away for a second to look at her face.

"Rick… Rick and I got into a fight…" she turned her sideways so he could see her red cheek. "He slapped me."

Kai's expression turned from one of confusion to one of rage in a split second. "He SLAPPED you?" he repeated angrily.

Popuri saw the look on his face, and she tried to take back what she had said. "No, Kai, it wasn't his fault- I…" But Kai was no longer listening to Popuri, he was walking to her house, and Popuri couldn't hold him back.

"Kai, please," Popuri pleased. "Don't hurt Rick – if you're going to hurt anyone, hurt me."

Kai turned around automatically as she said the word 'me'. He looked at Popuri, and gently took her shoulders with his firm, strong hands. "Look," he said to her, his face sympathetic. "Try to understand me here. Put yourself in my shoes. Your brother just hurt you. On purpose. Why would I not hurt Rick – why would I hurt you?" his sweet voice showed how hurt Kai was by this, and Popuri tried to explain this a little further.

"But you don't even know what our fight was about, do you?" she asked.

Kai shook his head, and lowered it. "Doesn't matter," he muttered. Though, in a few seconds, he lifted his head, and asked. "What was it about?"

Popuri tried to smile. She tried. But it came out more as a face you make when you eat Karen's cooking. "We were having a fight about you." As Kai's eyes widened, she continued. "Rick asked me what I would do if Kai – you – proposed to me. I… I said that I'd say yes. That's when he…" Even though Popuri couldn't finish, she didn't need to. Kai was already on his way to Rick's house.

"Kai!" she called after him desperately. "Kai, what are you doing?" But she knew what he was doing, even before he walked into – or rather, stomped into – Popuri's house. "Kai!" she called one last time, just before he opened the door. "Please."

Kai opened the door, and Lillia came over to greet them. "Kai, what a lovely surprise!" as she glanced over at her daughter, she added, "Here to bring Popuri back?"

"No, actually, I came to talk to Rick. Is he still here?" Kai said casually. Popuri looked up at him, and he grinned.

"I'm here." Rick said, coming down the stairs as if on cue. "You want to talk?" Rick was also acting casual, although there was a slight frown on his face.

"Yeah. Can we, uh," he turned to the door, and quickly turned back to Rick, "go outside?" he suggested.

Rick nodded, and followed Kai outside. Popuri tried to go with them, but Kai shook his head. "Not now," he whispered in her ear.

So Popuri stood there and watched the two walk out of her range of sight, silently wishing that they wouldn't fight.

"Are you alright, Popuri?" her mother asked her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, mom." Popuri lied. "Everything's fine." But as far as she could tell, things were far from fine.

* * *

><p><strong>There we go. Don't worry, there's one more chapter! (I'm sorry these are so short, by the way, but I loved writing shorter stories when I was younger. Couldn't be bothered to continue writing past a certain point.)<strong>


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They are the property of Natsume.**

**Here's the last chapter of the fanfic! It, too, is short, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.**

* * *

><p><strong>Summer Love<strong>

_Kai x Popuri_

Chapter Three

It was at least an hour before they got back. Or, at least Popuri thought it was an hour – the time she had spent waiting passed very slowly. Popuri was both anxious and relieved when she realized that the boys had not gotten in a physical fight. Although she wondered just what they had done.

As soon as Kai stepped in the door, she knew Rick had been victorious over whatever it was they were doing, because he was troubled, Popuri could tell from the look on his face. He called her aside, and the two started to walk.

"Kai, what is it?" Popuri asked, tightly gripping his left hand as they walked into town square.

"Popuri…" he put his head down as he spoke. "There's no quick way to say this, so I guess I'll have to do it a little slowly." He kept his muscles tense as they walked towards the beach, and he must have noticed he was, because he tried to swing their hands a little freely.

"When I first came to Mineral Town, I was a typical teenage boy. I wanted only three things – to do well in my business, to have fun, and to meet girls." He chuckled. "Although meeting girls meant different things to me then than it does now. Back then, it meant flirting with any hot girls here, on the beach." He looked at Popuri, making sure he hadn't gone too far. "But then, I met a very special girl." He squeezed Popuri's hand as he said this.

"She was walking on the beach with another guy, one wearing glasses. He had long brown hair. At first, I thought that they were boyfriend and girlfriend. I thought – and no joke here – 'Damn. That dude is seriously lucky to have her'. But then, I saw how the two were keeping a pretty safe distance, and near the end of their walk, they hugged. Now, to men, that would normally mean that the two aren't together." He laughed a little bit louder this time.

"Kai, where is this going?" asked Popuri, no longer in the mood for stories.

"I'm getting there, babe." Kai answered her. "Now… the next day, I decided to look for this girl. Why? I don't know, she was all I could think about. Maybe it was the sparkle in her eyes." He pulled her face close, now, and looked into her eyes. "Yep. Definitely the eyes. I found her at the Poultry Farm. Her mother, brother and her work there, you know," he added in a matter-of-fact tone, and Popuri punched him playfully in his arm.

"Ow! Alright, alright, I'll quit with the jokes." Kai agreed as they walked onto the dock. "Well, that girl and I got together. I felt…" he squeezed Popuri's hand, "myself around her- both sides of me. Fun, goofy Kai, and a Kai no one else saw. A Kai who wanted to meet that special someone, someone who loved him and would do anything to be with me. In return, I would do anything for her. No matter what anyone says, I would stay with her. Stay faithful to her."

He now held Popuri's hands in his. He looked straight into her candy pink eyes. "Popuri. I've been wanting to ask you this for a while now, almost right since I met you." He reached into his pocket, pulled out a case, and held it in front of her. He watched the understanding slowly fill her eyes as she opened the case.

"Popuri. Will you marry me?" he asked, pronouncing each word as its own sentence.

Popuri didn't know if her pulse was still beating. If she was still asleep and would soon wake up. She had thought that Kai was breaking up with her, but… he was proposing? Both a feeling of relief and a feeling of panic swept over her at the same time. "K…Kai…" she managed to get out, but that was it for her verbal power. Struggling to keep from crying – of joy, this time – she nodded. "Yes," she whispered softly. And that was all she needed to say.

* * *

><p><strong>Reading this back, I'm not quite sure why Kai was upset at the beginning of the chapter. But what I've decided is that he was just nervous about proposing to Popuri. And, I believe I wrote this using a Blue Feather instead of a ring, but I'm not quite sure. Honestly, you can use your imagination on that.<strong>

**I kinda like how Kai came out. He's very protective and cute. I'll have to thank 12 year old me.**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it!**


End file.
